Soundproofing your car it’s a great way to enhance your acoustics and the overall sound. One of the best feelings is listening to your favorite band on the radio while driving, and the quality of the sound is very important.
There are many reasons why you might want to soundproof your car. Have you ever noticed that your music sounds great when you’re parked, but not when you’re on the road driving? Have you ever wondered if there’s a way to cut down the unwanted noise in your car?
Well, I’m happy to say that soundproofing materials play an important role in cutting down the noise coming from wind, exhaust, the whine of the engine, the hum of the tires, rattling and vibrations. If you use these materials, you’ll have the chance to listen to your favorite music without experiencing unwanted, disturbing noise.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the two of the most effective sound deadeners on the market that can make your car quiet. Dynamat and FatMat are two companies in the automotive market that brag about being the best at reducing noise inside of vehicles.
Dynamat vs FatMat
Dynamat Sound Deadener
I consider Dynamat to be one of the best solutions when it comes to soundproofing your car. It might be a bit expensive than most sound-dampening materials out there, but simply speaking, this sound deadener has the ability to insulate your car from all unwanted noise and vibrations.
Heat won’t be a problem, either, since the aluminum-coated deadener is superb when it comes to heat resistance.
Dynamat offers multiple kits for the doors, the headliner, the trunk and the hood. If you don’t mind spending quite a bit of money, you can buy Dynamat in bulk and wrap the whole cabin. Dynamat literally provides everything you need to completely soundproof your car.
The Effectiveness of Dynamat
There are several different things you should know about this amazing material. Its performance is quite stunning, as it’s pretty thick and will easily block all outside noise from entering your vehicle.
Usually, when buying a sound deadener, you’d have to buy enough material to cover as much of the surface area as possible, but installing Dynamat will insulate your car even if you just cover a small space.
Also, the butyl-based material that’s used to make Dynamat is able to stop the heat from entering your car. It’s odorless and quite effective at temperatures up to about 240 degrees Fahrenheit. As it’s thick and sturdy, you can expect a reduction in the amount of road noise by nine or even 10 dB.
Dynamat’s Installation Process
This may be a bit tricky for some people, since Dynamat is probably the most difficult sound‐deadening material to install, mostly due to its thickness. You may need to use a lot of energy and time to install it, but it’s totally worth the investment.
Before starting the installation, it’s best to have some understanding of how the installation process works. Often, it seems like the products that are most difficult to install provide better results when it comes to noise reduction.
Because of the density of the material, you may have a hard time cutting it, which may make the installation a bit longer and harder. That being said, I think hiring a professional might make things easier, but doing that will result in a bit more financial investment.
Using Dynamat
One thing I really like about this material is its usage. There are a lot of ways to use this product, even though its main purpose is insulating cars.
It can be used in any place in which you want to insulate yourself from noise, whether that’s your room, your home gym, your home theater or someplace else. It doesn’t matter what you use Dynamat for, as it will show great results across the board, so it’s up to you to decide where you want to install it. Keep in mind that the bigger the area is that you need to cover, the more money you’ll be spending.
The Price Range of Dynamat
Since it’s one of the best sound deadeners when it comes to insulation, the price is relatively high, but that doesn’t mean you have to break your wallet to get Dynamat. Also, if you don’t want to cover your entire car, it’s best to just cover the most important areas. It cost $5 to $6 per square foot, so think wisely about where you should install it.
Pros
- Extremely effective
- Doesn’t leave any odor behind
- Very popular among users
- Butyl-based
- Capable of cutting the amount of noise in half
- Heat‐resistant features
Cons
- A bit expensive
- Installation process is a bit difficult
FatMat Sound Deadener
FatMat is known as as one of Dynamat’s biggest opponents. The material comes with a 50‐mil thickness, so you’ll find this deadener to be a worthy investment. When it comes to the design and its material, it’s quite different from Dynamat. Simply speaking, FatMat is thinner and has an asphalt-based structure.
FatMat’s sound control team members are experts at creating and producing sound‐dampening products. Their sound deadener is aimed at eliminating those irritating sounds that are regularly heard in many vehicles, such as rattling, vibrations and even general road noise itself.
One downside is its installation process: Beginners will have to put in a lot of effort and read the instruction manual to get the job done.
The Effectiveness of FatMat
When it comes to its effectiveness and quality, FatMat is considered to be one of the best deadeners to install in your car. Since it’s asphalt-based, though, it’s not recommended for high-temperature situations. So if you’re living in a hot climate like those found in Florida or Texas, FatMat isn’t the way to go.
This is the main reason why people use FatMat in cooler environments. Also, because of its thinner material, you can expect the installation to be a bit easier in comparison to Dynamat, but it doesn’t offer noise reduction that’s as good as Dynamat’s.
As you can see, both products have their own advantages and disadvantages, but in terms of performance and quality, Dynamat is simply better and offers more value for the price.
FatMat’s Installation Process
Even though I mentioned earlier that the installation is a bit easier in comparison to Dynamat, you may still find it a bit hard to install. Because its asphalt-based, you’ll need to set the right heating temperature before you carry out the installation process.
Also, pay close attention to material that might seep out when you apply it. Try your best not to let the material stick or fuse onto itself, as you simply won’t be able to separate those pieces at all.
Using FatMat
As with Dynamat, you can use this material for a lot of different projects. FatMat is mostly used on doors, panels and floors to lower road noise significantly. Besides that, there are numerous ways to use FatMat and all of them are related to noise‐canceling.
The Price Range of FatMat
The price is relatively cheap compared to Dynamat, but the product still offers high value. If your goal is to cover as much surface area as possible, this is where FatMat becomes pricey. All things considered, however, Dynamat is the most expensive, as it belongs to the premium class. So if your budget is your main concern, you should probably pick FatMat instead.
Pros
- Super‐stick adhesive
- Easy‐peel release paper
- Absorbs noise and vibrations, offering a noticeable reduction in sound
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Asphalt base isn’t good in heat
- Once in place, it’s hard to remove
- Strong odor that can last for a few days to a few weeks
- A bit difficult to install
Dynamat vs. FatMat – The Final Verdict
In my opinion, I think both Dynamat and FatMat are amazing sound deadeners. Dynamat is a bit better when it comes to quality and effectiveness, but FatMat has its own unique features.
It all comes down to your preferences and what’s most important to you while you’re soundproofing your car. If you’re on a budget and are also looking for an easier installation process, you might want to go with FatMat.
However, when it comes to soundproofing material, I personally prefer Dynamat.
Here’s another article you might like: Dynamat vs. Hushmat Comparison 2019 – Which Is The Best?
image: Mitch Barrie